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Re: rifles and pesticides



In article <9611041358.AA06125@colmar.colmar.inra.fr>,
   vdwerf@colmar.inra.fr (Hayo van der Werf) wrote:
>Bill Duesing writes:
>>I believe the point of the zuchinni ad is that pesticides kill more poeple 
than
>>assult rifles, and yet there is all this commotion about rifles and little 
>about
>>pesticides.
>>
>
>I do think the risks posed by pesticide use are often underestimated, but 
>there is not much use in exagerating by making this kind of comparisons. 
>WHO-UNEP (1989) estimates pesticides kill 20 000 people yearly, 220 000 
>people when suicides are included. I do not have the data for people killed 
>by rifles but I would be very much surprised if Bill Duesing were right on 
>this account.
>

Without wanting to be an apologist for pesticides, they also save lives.  
World food production wouldn't be what it is without them, and diseases spread 
by insect vectors have taken a dive post-DDT.

I guess the point is that rifles have no other purpose than causing death 
(granted that some of this death may be pest erradication or 'sport').  
Pesticides are applied for a number of reasons, that while not entirely 
alturistic, are at least generally beneficial.

Lawrence Boul

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Disclaimer: The above is a personal opinion and does not reflect the
            official view of AgResearch Ltd.
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